Shoe bottom unit and method of making the same



Dec. 22, 1936 J WHELTON 2,065,464

SHOE BOTTOM UNIT AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed May 8, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet l N/ENTU Dec. 22, 1936. J WHELTON 2,065,464

SHOE BOTTOM UNIT AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed May 8, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 AWE/Wag: lkmk mm,

H EQLM Dec. 22, 1936. J M WHELTON 2,065,464

SHOE BOTTOM UNIT AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Fil ed May 8, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 MVVE/VTUR/ Patented Dec. 22, 1936 PATENT OFFICE SHOE BOTTOM UNIT AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME John M. Whelton, Peabody,

Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 8, 1933, Serial No. 669,842 Claims. (01. 12-146) This invention relates to improvements in shoe bottom members and units and to improved methods of making the same.

In United States Letters Patent No. 2,055,542, granted September 29, 1936, upon application of Karl Kilburn, and in copending application, Serial No. 600,921, filed March 24, 1932, in the name of John M. Whelton, there are disclosed and claimed certain improvements in shoe bottom construction and improved methods of making shoe bottom units, a purpose of which is to facilitate the lasting of the upper and the laying of the outsole so as accurately to reproduce the lines of the last in the shank portion of the shoe.

Among other objects, the present invention is concerned with further facilitating the attainment of the above result.

To the accomplishment of this object the present invention, considered in one aspect, provides an improvement in methods of making shoe bottom units which consists in assembling and securing against accidental displacement an insole, a longitudinally arched shank stiffener, and a moldable shank reinforcing piece, and thereafter placing the assembled parts upon a form shaped to correspond to the longitudinal curvature of the last for a shoe in which the bottom unit is to be incorporated, and molding said reinforcing piece and the shank portion of the insole to the shape of the form. In assembling the parts of the unit as herein exemplified, the shank stiffener, which is longitudinally arched to correspond to the longitudinal curvature in the shank portion of the bottom of the last, is first laid upon the insole, the longitudinal relation of the parts being gaged from the toe of the insole, and the reinforcing piece, which is cut to the marginal contour of the heel and shank portion of the insolefis laid upon the insole, over the shank piece, its longitudinal relation to the insole being gaged from the heel end of the insole. The reinforcing piece, the shank stiifener, and the insole are then pressed together at the heel portion of the insole in such a manner as to cause a spur on the rear portion of the shank stiffener to embed itself in the reinforcing piece and to cause the reinforcing piece and the insole, which have previously been coated with cement, to become adhesively secured together throughout an area sufiiciently large to insure against accidental displacement or misalinement of the parts during subsequent handling thereof. A partially completed (unmolded) insole unit is thus produced which, as a step product, constitutes a further feature of the present invention For the purpose of molding this partially completed unit, it is placed upon a form having a contoured work-supporting surface corresponding in longitudinal curvature to that of the last upon which the shoe is to be made. The unmolcled unit is located lengthwise relatively to the form by gaging from the front end of the shank stiffener and, after being properly located, the shank portion of the unit is pressed against the form by a yieldable presser pad so as to mold it to the shape of the form. Preferably the trans- 10 verse curvature of the form is substantially greater than that of the shank portion of the last in order to overmold transversely the shank portion of the insole unit to allow for reaction of the molded material after the molding pressure has been relieved. As a result of the above operations an overmolded, reinforced insole unit is produced which, when placed upon the bottom of a last and located lengthwise upon the last by gaging from the toe of the last in the customary 0 manner, will have its molded shank portion accurately located to conform to the shank portion of the last. It is, of course, important that the location of the shank stiffener lengthwise of the last should be accurately determined because otherwise the longitudinal curvature of the shank stiffener would not coincide with that of the last bottom, in which event the shank stifiener would hold the outsole away from the last and thus prevent the lines of the last bottom from being reproduced in the finished shoe. My above-described improved method of assembling the component parts of insole units involving, as it does,

the locating of the shank stiiTener in a predetermined lengthwise relation to the insole gaged from the toe of the insole, insures accuracy of location of the shank stiffener longitudinally of the last and thus insures accurate fitting of the outsole to the lines of the last bottom in the finished shoe, regardless of variations in the actual lengths of diiferent lasts of the same nominal size (since such variations occur in almost all instances in the portion of the last at the rear of the ball line) and in spite of the rather common shoemaking expedient of cutting insoles slightly shorter than full size length to allow for variance in the size lengths of lasts such as above referred to without danger of having any of the soles too long for the lasts, it being understood that in laying an insole upon a last preparatory to the lasting of the upper it is the universal custom to locate the insole longitudinally with its too alined with the toe of the last, and that no harm is done from a sh'oemaking standpoint if the insole should terminate at its heel end slightly short of the heel end of the last, wnereas if the insole should project only slightly'beyond the heel end of the last subsequent shoemaking operations might be seriously interfered with. Thus, not only will the shank stiffener be accurately located so that the longitudinal curve of its main portion will coincide with the longitudinal curve of the last but also so that the reversely curved forward extremity of the shank stiffener will accurately conform to the abrupt curve or bend at the "break of the last, the latter condition being particularly important inasmuch as if the forward extremity of the shank stiffener is not located substantially at the break line of the last, the shank portion of the shoe will be inadequately supported, whereas if the forward extremity of the shank stiffener extends forwardly of the "break line of the last it is liable to cut into the outsole and damage the shoe.

In order to provide for closer fitting and better conforming of the outsole to the last bottom in the vicinity of the break between the-shank portion and the forepart of the last, my improved insole units are so constructed, in accordance with a further feature of the present invention, that the forward portion of the shank stiffener extends a substantial distance beyond the front edge of the reinforcing piece. Thus, in a shoe in which thehimproved-dnsole unit is incorporated, there will be no reinforcing or other material interposed between the shank stiffener and the outsole in or near the locality where the shank portion of the shoe bottom merges with the forepart thereof. Consequently, the outsole is permitted to lie closer and conform better to the lines of the last in this locality.

Instead of manufacturing an insole unit composed of three component parts, as above described, it may sometimes be desirable to manufacture two-part composite shank pieces, each consisting of a shank stiffener and a reinforcing piece of fiber, leather or the like, and to sell these shank pieces to shoe manufacturers who will attach them to insoles in the process of making shoes. With this in view, and in accordance with a still further feature of the present invention, a composite shank piece has been produced which comprises a flexible reinforcing piece having an edge contour corresponding to that of the heel and shank portions of the insole and a longitudinally arched metallic shank stiffener which is secured to the reinforcing piece with the longitudinally concave side of the shank stiffener engaging the reinforcing piece with the front portion of the shank stiffener (which preferably has a longitudinal curvature that is reverse to that of the main portion of the stiffener) projecting forwardly a substantial distance beyond the front edge of the reinforcing piece.

The invention further consists in features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the advantages of which will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a perspective view of the component parts of my improved insole unit, the parts being shown in unassembled relation;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the reinforcing piece as it appears after being coated with cement;

Figs. 3 and 4 are plan and edge views, respectively, of the insole unit in process of. manufacture, illustrating the manner in which the parts are relati ly located and assembled:

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an insole unit as it appears after the parts have been assembled and partially secured together but before the insole and the reinforcing piece have been molded;

Figs. 6 and '7 are edge and plan views, respectively, of the insole unit, illustrating the manner in which it is located relatively to the molding instrumentalities;

Figs. 8 and 9 are perspective views of a, completed insole unit showing the lower and upper sides, respectively, of the unit;

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a lasted shoe embodying the improved insole unit, showing the shoe as it appears before the outsole has been laid; a

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line XIXI of Fig. 9;

'Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a modified form of insole or shoe bottom unit;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken along the line XIII-XIII of Fig. 12; and

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a still further modified form of shoe bottom unit.

My improved insole unit, as shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, comprises an insole 20, a reinforcing piece 22, and a shank stiffenerld all of which are shown in unassembled relation in Fig. 1. Preparatory to practicing my improved method for making insole units, insoles are cut from leather or other suitable material in the usual manner to provide a supply of insoles of the desired sizes, and a corresponding number'of reinforcing pieces of the required sizes are died out to correspond in marginal contour with the marginal contours of the heel and shank portions of the insoles, the reinforcing pieces being preferably formed from fiberboard. The illustrated reinforcing piece is cut of such length that when the reinforcing piece and a shank stiffener have been assembled, each in its proper relation to an insole, the front edge of the reinforcing piece will be spaced rearwardly a substantial distance from the front extremity of the shank stiffener. Thus there will be no portion of the reinforcing piece interposed between the inner and outer soles of the shoe in the vicinity of the break line between the shank and ball portions of the shoe bottom and, accordingly, after the outsole has been leveled it will conform closely to the form of the last in this region. As shown, the front portion of the reinforcing piece is beveled to a thin edge at 25 to avoid the formation of any ridge in the outsole where the latter overlies the front end of the reinforcing piece. The shank stiffeners are preferably made of tempered steel and are longitudinally curved to correspond to the longitudinal curvatures of the lasts for the shoes in which the insole units are to be incorporated. Each shank stiffener has its forward portion curved in a direction reverse to that of its body portion, as indicated at 26 in Fig. 1, to conform to the abrupt curvature at the ball portion of the last bottom. Preferably the stiffeners are slightly arched transversely in order to strengthen them, the transverse convexity being at the longitudinally concave side of the stiffener which is to engage the reinforcing piece. A spur, such as the spur 28, is provided at the heel end of the stiffener, the spur,' as shown, consisting of an irregular burr formed around the edge of a single small hole punched through the stiffener strip, the purpose of the spur being to hold the shank stiffener in place by engagement with the material of the reinforcing piece. Each reinforcing piece has an open slot or notch 30 formed in its forward portion 76 for receiving the forward portion of a shank stiffener and holding the latter against lateral edgewise displacement. The reinforcing members and the heel and shank portions of the insoles are coated on one side with cement, for example, rubber latex, and left to dry, a cement coating upon a reinforcing member being indicated at 32 in Fig. 2, and a cement coating upon an insole being indicated at 34 in Fig. 1. The

application of the cement to the insoles and to the reinforcing pieces may be accomplished in the manner disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 600,921, heretofore referred to.

' The above-described parts may be assembled and relatively located with the aid of an assembling device such as that disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 753,367, filed November 16, 1934, such a device being shown more or less diagrammatically in Figs. 3 and 4.

Because of the fact that the shank stilfeners are longitudinally curved provision is made, in assembling the parts of an insole unit, for supporting the insole approximately in the position it will assume when conformed to the curvature of a shank stiffener assembled therewith. For this purpose separate supports 36, 38, and 40 for the heel, ball and forepart portions, respectively, of an insole are provided, the supports being relatively arranged as indicated in Fig. 4 and being relatively adjustable to accommodate insoles. of different styles. Asshown, the supports 36 and 40 for the heel and forepart portions of the insole are fiat but the support 36 for the ball portion has a convex upper surface the curvature of which corresponds to the average curvature at the junction of the shank and ball portions of a last bottom. The illustrated assembling device further comprises a plurality of gage plates 42 one-of which is adapted to be selectively moved into operative position for locating the insole by engagement with the toe of the insole, a gage 44 for locating a shank stiffener lengthwise of the insole by engagement with the forward end of the stiffener, a clamp 46 for engaging the forward portion of the shank stiffener and clamping it against the insole for the purpose of temporarily holding it in assembled relation with the insole, two pairs of centering gages 48 and 56 arranged to engage the lateral edges of an insole and a reinforcing piece to locate said members transversely and to aline their lateral edges with each other, and a presser member 52 for pressing the rear portions of the insole and reinforcing member together after they have been relatively located. There is one toe gage plate 42 for each size or half size of insole and the toe gage plates are so located relatively to the shank gage 44 that when the appropriate toe gage has been operatively positioned for use in connection with an insole of a particular size, the spacing between that toe gage and the shank gage will be such that the latter will function to position a shank stiffener longitudinally in the proper location to the insole to insure that when the insole is later laid upon a last the shank stiffener will conform accurately to the longitudinal curve of the last bottom and the forward end of the stiffener will be properly located relatively to the break line of the last.

Prior to the assembling of the parts of an insole unit the assembling device is adjusted, for the particular size of insole being used, by selecting the appropriate toe gage plate and raising it into operative position as shown in Fig. 4. In the use of the above-described assembling device an insole is laid, coated side uppermost, over the supports 36, 38, and 40 with the shank portion of the insole engagedby the centering gages 48 and 50 and with the toe of the insole held manually against the support 40 and in engagement with the operatively-positioned toe gage plate 42. Next, a shank stiffener of a size corresponding to the size of the insole is laid upon the shank portion of the insole with its forward edge in engagement with the shank stiffener gage 46, after which the clamp 46 is operated to clamp the shank stiffener against the insole. If desired, means may be associated with the gage 44 or the clamp 66 for positioning the shank stiffener widthwise and angularly relatively to the insole. A reinforcing piece is next laid, coated side down, upon the heel and shankportion of the insole and over the shank stiffener, the reinforcing piece being located lengthwise of the insole by the eye of the operator or by manually gaging its location from the rear of the insole and with the shank portion of the reinforcing piece located between the centering gages 46 and 50, the latter functioning to engage the edges of the reinforcing piece and to aline them with the edges of the insole. The presser member 52 is next brought into cooperative relation with the support 36 to press together the coated rear portions only of the insole and the reinforcing piece so that they will become adhesively secured together and to cause the spur on the shank stiffener to embed itself within the material of the reinforcing piece. The unitary structure such as that shown in Fig. 5 is thus produced in which the component parts are secured together in the proper relation and in such a manner that they may be removed from the assembling device without danger of accidental relative displacement of any of the parts.

The unit thus produced is now ready to be molded and the molding operation is accomplished as herein illustrated by the use of a molding machine such as that diagrammatically shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the machine comprising essentially a stationary rigid form 56 and a movable yielding pad 58. The upper or work-engaging surface of the form 56 has the same longitudinal curvature as that of the bottom of the last for the shoe in which the insole unit is to be incorporated. Preferably, however, the workengaging surface of the form 56 is somewhat more sharply curved transversely than the last bottom in order to provide for overmolding of the shank portion of the insole unit and thus to allow for such reaction of the unit as will occur when the molding pressure has been relieved. Associated with the form 56 is a gage 60 for locating the unit relatively to the form by engagement with the forward extremity of the shank stiffener and two pairs of centering gages 62 and 64 for alining the lateral edges of the insole unit with the sides of the form. The details of the construction and mode of operation of the machine are not claimed herein, the same being the subject-matter of my copending application Serial No. 701,814, filed December 11, 1933.

An insole to be molded is placed upon the form with the forward end of the shank stiffener engaging the gage 60, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and with the shank portion of the unit located between the centering gages 62 and 6 1. The pad 56 is then caused to descend to mold the heel and of the form 56 and to complete the adhesive securing together of the reinforcing piece and the insole, suitable provision being made for causing the gages 60, B2 and 64 to Withdraw from their operative positions to avoid interfering with the cooperation of the pad 58 with the form 56. As a result of the molding operation the heel'and shank portions of the insole unit are caused to conform to the bottom of the form and when the molding pressure is released the molded material will react just sufficiently so that the molded insole will have exactly the contour of the bottom of the last with which it is to be used.

After being removed from the molding machine the opposite lateral edges of the molded insole unit are preferably reduced by any suitable means, not herein shown, so as to produce the beveled lateral surfaces, indicated at 68. The appearance of the insole unit after it has been molded and the lateral edges of its shank portion have been beveled is indicated in Figs. 8 and 9.

The edges 68 are beveled at such an angle as to blend with the cross-sectional curvature of the sides of a last, such as the last L (Fig. 10), and thus to insure that the upper shall not be held away from the last by the presence of thick edges extending along the shank portion of the insole but will conform closely to the shape of the last and lie smoothly in this locality. Moreover, the beveling operation results in the formation of sharply defined shoulders along the inner margins of the beveled edges and when the upper margins are lasted over these shouldersa sharply defined ridge line 70 (Fig. 10) is formed in the upper at each side of the shank of the shoe defining the junction between the portions of the upper which are to be exposed in the finished shoe and the overlasted margins which are to be secured to the outsole. When the overlasted upper margins are roughened to prepare them for the reception of the sole-attaching cement, these ridge lines Hi serve to define sharply the outer boundaries of the roughened areas and to insure that no roughening shall take place upon those portions of the upper which will be exposed to view. The molded unit is shaped both lengthwise and crosswise to fit tightly and conform accurately to the shank portion of the last bottom. The fact that the reinforcing piece does not extend forwardly to the break line of the insole insures that the outsole shall lie close to the insole in the ball of the shoe so as accurately to eproduce the lines of the last bottom in that locality.

In laying an insole upon the last bottom it is the usual practice to' lay-the toe end of the insole first, alining it with the toe end of the last bottom, and in placing my improved insole unit upon a last, preparatory to making a shoe, the toe end of the insole unit is alined with the toe end of the last in accordance with the usual practice. It follows, therefore, that the front edge of the shank stiffener will necessarily be properly located with respect to the break line of the last, since in the assembling of the shank stiffener with the insole the longitudinal relation of those parts Was gaged from the toe end of the insole. Within reasonable limits it is practicable to employ reinforcing pieces of the same size and shape for assembly with insoles of different sizes and styles by alining the heel ends of the reinforcing pieces with the heel ends of the insoles and allowing more or less of the shank stiffener strips to project forwardly beyond the reinforcing pieces as may be required according to the length of the insoles.

A modification of the molded insole unit as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, is illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13 wherein the insole member 200 of the unitinstead of being a full length insole terminates just forwardly of the shank stiffener so that ashort insole or heel-and-shank-piece unit is provided which may, if desired, be secured to a separate forepart or insole portion, such as the portion 202. As shown, the forward extremity of the short insole member of the unit shown in Figs. 13 and 14 may be beveled, as indicated at 12, to facilitate overlapping of that member with a forepart member. Also, as shown, the insole member 209 may-advantageously be provided with a shallow groove 74 for receiving the shank stiffener so that the latter will not form an objectionable ridge in the insole member.

Instead of assembling a'shank stiffener in the first instance with an insole the shank stiffener may be assembled with a reinforcing piece to produce a shank stiffener unit such as that shown in Fig. 14. Subsequently the unit comprising the reinforcing piece 220 and a shank stiffener 240 may be assembled with an insole (not shown) to produce a reinforced insole unit. As shown in Fig. 14, the forward, reversely curved portion 260 of the shank stiffener 240 extends a substantial distance beyond the forward portion of the reinforcing piece and the parts may be assembled in a desired longitudinal relation by the use of any suitable measuring or gaging means not herein shown. After being assembled, the parts may be secured together in any convenient manner as by means of tacks 16. It may be found convenient to make shank stiffener units of the type shown in Fig. 14 for sale as articles of manufacture to shoemakers who will themselves apply the units to insoles, securing the units to the insoles by means of cement or otherwise as may be found advantageous. After such a unit has been assembled with an insole upon a last it may be adhesively secured to the insole by the use of a sole molding machine. Shank stiffener units may be made in this way for use with insoles of different sizes without making any change in the size or shape of the reinforcing pieces by the simple expedient of varying the extent to which the shank stifieners project forwardly beyond the reinforcing pieces to obtain the required variations in the overall length of the stiffener units, i. e., the length from the heel end of the reinforcing piece to the front edge of the stiffener strip,

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. That improvement in methods of making shoe bottom units which consists in assembling and securing against accidental displacement an insole, a longitudinally arched shank stiffener, and a moldable reinforcing piece, and thereafter placing the assembled parts upon a form shaped to correspond to the longitudinal curvature of the last for a shoe in which the bottom unit is to be incorporated and molding the insole and the reinforcing piece to the shape of the form.

2. That improvement inmethods of making shoe bottom units which consists in assembling an insole, a longitudinally arched shank stiffener, and a moldable shank-reinforcing piece and securing the rear portions only of said parts together to form a shoe bottom unit, and thereafter locating said unit on a form and molding said reinforcing piece and the shank portion of the insole to the shape of the form.

3. That improvement in methods of making shoe bottom units which consists in assembling an insole, a longitudinally arched shank stiffener, and a reinforcing piece and securing said parts together at the heel end only to form a shoe bottom unit, and thereafter securing together the shank portions of the insole and the reinforcing member and molding them to impart thereto a longitudinal curvature corresponding to that of a last bottom.

4. That improvement in methods of making shoe bottom units which consists in assembling an insole, a reinforcing piece, and a longitudinally arched shank stiffener with the stiffener interposed between the insole and the reinforcing piece and adhesively securing the reinforcing piece to the insole, thereafter placing the assembled parts upon a form having a longitudinal curvature corresponding to that of the shank stiifener, and molding the insole and the reinforcing member to the shape of the form.

5. That improvement in methods of making shoe bottom units which consists in assembling an insole, a longitudinally arched shank stiffener,

and a reinforcing piece for the heel and shank portions of the insole and securing said parts together at the heel portion of the insole to form a shoe bottom unit, placing the insole unit upon a form having a bottom contour corresponding to that of the bottom of the last, locating the unit upon the form by gaging from the shank stiffener, and applying pressure to the unit to secure the reinforcing member to the insole forwardly of the heel portion of the insole and to mold said parts to the shape of the form.

6. That improvement in methods of making shoe bottom units which consists in applying adhesive to an insole and to a reinforcing piece, assembling together the insole and the reinforcing piece, with a longitudinally arched shank stiffener interposed between them, the shank stiffener having a spur formed in its rear portion, applying pressure to the heel portions of the parts to cause the reinforcing piece to stick to the insole and said spur to embed itself inthe reinforcing piece, and thereafter molding the insole and the reinforcing piece to arch them lengthwise to correspond to the longitudinal arch of the shank stiffener.

7. That improvement in methods of making shoe bottom units which consists in assembling an insole member and a longitudinally curved shank stiffener, assembling a reinforcing piece with the assembled insole member and shank stiffener and securing the assembled parts together to make a reinfcmzed shoe bottom unit, and thereafter molding said unit to impart thereto a, curvature corresponding to that of the bottom of a last.

8. That improvement in methods of making shoe bottom units which consists in assembling an insole member and a longitudinally curved shank stiffener, relatively locating a reinforcing piece upon the insole member with theshank stiffener and a film of adhesive interposed be tween said parts, adhesively securing the reinforcing piece to the insole member throughout a restricted portion only of the area of the reinforcing piece to secure said parts together with said shank stiffener against accidental relative displacement, and thereafter completing the ad hesive securing together of the reinforcing piece and the insole member and molding said parts to impart thereto a curvature corresponding to that of the bottom of a last.

9. That improvement in methods of making insole units which consists in assembling an insole and a longitudinally curved shank stiffener while gaging the longitudinal relation of said parts from the toe of the insole, assembling a reinforcing piece with the assembled insole and shank stiffener while gaging the longitudinal relation of the reinforcing piece to the insole by gaging from the heel end of the insole, securing the assembled parts together, and thereafter molding the shank portions of the reinforcing piece and the insole to impart thereto a longitudinal curvature corresponding to that of the shank stiffener.

10. That improvement in methods of making shoe bottom units which consists in assembling an insole member and a longitudinally curved shank stiffener, laying a reinforcing piece upon the insole member and shank stiffener, securing said parts against relative accidental displacement, transferring the assembled parts to a form, and molding the shank portions of the reinforcing piece and the insole member of the contour of the form.

11. That improvement in methods of making shoe bottom units which consists in assembling and securing together a shank stiffener and a reinforcing member for the heel and shank portions of an insole, positioning an insole upon a form having a bottom curvature corresponding to that of the last, locating the assembled shank stiffener and reinforcing member upon said insole, and applying pressure to said parts to secure the reinforcing member to the insole and to mold said parts to the contour of the form.

12. That improvement in methods of making shoe bottom units which consists in assembling a shank stiffener and a reinforcing member for the shank and heel portions of an insole and relatively locating the stiffener and the reinforcing member to cause the stiffener to project forwardly beyond the front edge of the reinforcing member an amount bearing a definite relation to the size of an insole with which said parts are to be incorporated, securing said stifiener and said reinforcing member together to form a shank stiffener unit, assembling the shank stiffener unit with an insole to form an insole unit, and subjecting the insole unit to molding pressure to shape the shank portions of the insole and the reinforcing member.

13. A reinforced shoe bottom unit comprising, in combination, an insole member, a reinforcing piece secured to the heel and shank portions of the insole member and having an edge contour corresponding to that of said portions of the insole member, and a metallic shank stiffener strip having a longitudinally arched main portion and a forward portion having a reverse longitudinal curvature, said shank stiffener having its main portion interposed between the reinforcing piece and the insole member and received in a groove in said member and having its forward portion projecting beyond the forward edge of the reinforcing piece.

14. A reinforced shoe bottom unit comprising, in combination, an insole having an overmolded shank portion which is arched transversely to an extent greater than that of the corresponding portion of the bottom of a last with which it is to be used, an overmolded reinforcing piece for the heel and shank portions of the insole cemented to the insole, said reinforcing piece being longitudinally and transversely arched in its shank portion to correspond to the longitudinal and transverse curvatures, respectively,

of the shank portion of the insole, and a shank stiffener interposed between said members and secured at its rear portion to one of them and having its forward portion extending a substantial distance beyond the reinforcing piece to a point located substantially at the junction of the shank and forepart portions of the insole, said reinforcing piece being constructed and arranged to confine the forward portion of said shank stiffener against lateral edgewise displacement.

15. A reinforced shoe bottom unit comprising, in combination, an insole having an overmolded shank portion which is arched transversely to an extent greater than that of the corresponding portion of the bottom of a last with which it is to be used, a correspondingly overmolded reinforcing piece adhesively secured to the heel and shank portions of the insole, and a metallic shank stiffener strip interposed between the reinforcing piece and the insole and having a spur struck up from its rear portion at its longitudinally concave side and embedded within the material of the reinforcing piece.

16. As a unitary article of manufacture, a composite shank piece comprising a flexible member having an edge contour corresponding to that of the heel and shank portions of an insole, and a longitudinally arched metallic stiffener strip secured to said member with the longitudinally concave side of said strip engaging said member and with the front portion of said strip projecting forwardly a substantial distance beyond the front edge of said member.

1'7. As a unitary article of manufacture, a composite shank piece comprising a flexible member having an edge contdur corresponding to that of the heel and shank portions of an insole, a longitudinally arched metallic stiffener strip secured to said member with the longitudinally concave side of said strip engaging said member and with the front portion of said strip projecting forwardly a substantial distance beyond the front edge of said member and having a curvature reverse to that of its main portion, and a second flexible member secured to said first flexible member and located at the longitudinally convex side of said strip and terminating just forwardly of said projecting end of said strip.

18. A composite shank piece comprising an unmolded flexible member having an edge contour corresponding to that of the heel and shank portions of an insole and having an open notch at its forward extremity, and a longitudinallyarched metallic stiffener strip secured at its rear portion to said member with the longitudinally concave side of the strip engaging said member and with the front portion of said strip extending into said notch and projecting forwardly a substantial distance beyond the front edge of said member.

19. A composite shank piece comprising a flexible member arched longitudinally to correspond to the longitudinal curvature of the shank portion of a last bottom, a metallic shank stiffener strip having a corresponding longitudinal curvature and projecting forwardly a substantial distance beyond the front edge of said member,.said stiffener strip having its longitudinally concave side engaging said member and having a spur struck up from its rear portion and embedded in said member for securing said parts together, and means on said flexible member for engaging the edges of said stiffener strip to prevent lateral displacement of the latter.

20. A step product in the manufacture of shoe bottom units comprising an unmolded insole, a moldable but unmolded reinforcing piece for the heel and shank portions of the insole secured to the insole at the heel portion only, and a shank stiffener interposed between the insole and the reinforcing piece and secured to one of said parts.

21. A step product in the manufacture of shoe bottom units comprising an unmolded insole, a

. moldable but unmolded reinforcing piece for the heel and shank portionsof the insole adhesively secured to the heel portion only of the insole, and a longitudinally arched metallic shank stiffener interposed between the insole and the reinforcing piece and secured at its rear portion only to the reinforcing piece.

22. A step product in the manufacture of shoe bottom units comprising an unmolded insole, a moldable but unmolded reinforcing piece for the heel and shank portions of the insole adhesively secured to the heel portion only of the insole, and a longitudinally arched metallic shank stiffener interposed between the insole and the reinforcing piece and secured at its rear portion only to the reinforcing piece, said reinforcing piece having an open notch at its front end and said shank stiffener extending into said notch.

23. A step product in the manufacture of shoe bottom units comprising an unmolded insole, a moldable but unmolded reinforcing piecev for the heel and shank portions of the insole adhesively secured to the heel portion only of the insole, and a longitudinally arched metallic shank stiffener interposed between the insole and the reinforcing piece and secured at its rear portion only to the reinforcing piece, said reinforcing piece terminating at its front end rearwardly of the junction between the shank and forepart of the insole and said shank stiffener extending forwardly beyond said reinforcing piece substantially to said junction.

24. A step product in the manufacture of reinforced insole units comprising, in combination, an unmolded in'sole having its heel and shank portions coated with cement, a moldable but unmolded reinforcing piece coated on one side with cement and having a marginal contour corresponding to that of the heel and shank portions of the insole, said parts having their heel portions only adhesively secured together, and a longitudinally arched metallic shank stiffener strip interposed between the insole and the reinforcing piece and having a spur struck up from its rear portion and embedded in the reinforcing piece, said shank stiffener extending forwardly beyond said reinforcing piece to a point located substantially at the junction between the shank and forepart of the insole.

25. That improvement in methods of making insole units which consists in laying a longitudinally curved stiffener strip upon one side of an insole while gaging the longitudinal relation of said parts from the toe of the insole, laying a heel-and-shank reinforcing piece upon the insole over said shank stiffener, and securing the rear portions only of the shank stiffener, the reinforcing piece and the insole against longitudinal displacement relatively to each other, thereby leaving said parts temporarily unattached forwardly of their rear portions to facilitate a subsequent molding operation to be performed upon the insole unit.

. JOHN M. WHELTON. 

